A New World
by Cobra-kun
Summary: The Fire Nation controls Ba Sing Se, but the war isn't over yet. New players enter the game, but will Aang recover enough to be in it?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is a non-profit venture undertaken purely for entertainment purposes.

A/N: Hello everyone. It's been quite awhile since I've written anything, but impatience at how long the third season of Avatar is taking has driven me to share with you my take on how things will go from here. This prologue is my attempt to help flesh out the history behind Avatar. I hope you enjoy.

Hundreds of years ago, there existed in this world four great civilizations. The Water Tribes, living in isolation at the frozen poles. The Fire Nation, who inhabited the tropical archipelago in the west. The Earth Kingdom, spread across the massive eastern continent. And the Air Nomads, who lived peaceful lives in temples scattered to the four winds.

For countless generations, these four peoples lived in a state of peaceful harmony, the focal point of which was the Avatar, the spirit of the Earth given human form and reincarnated into each of the four nations in a never-ending cycle, whose job it was to maintain balance throughout the world.

This was they way of things since before recorded history, but there came a period in time when things began to change.

Our story begins a few months before the beginning of what would come to the called the Hundred-Year War. The leader of the Fire Nation at the time was a man named Fire Lord Norikurma, a kind and generous ruler, who promoted equality among all the peoples of the world. He was a man much beloved by his subjects, but all was not well. For not everyone approved of Norikurma's stance. There were those amongst the Fire Nation who believed that their people were greater than the other races of the world, that their skill as benders was superior to all other forms. There were those who believed the Fire Nation should rule above all others.

Chief amongst these peoples was one of the most influential and powerful men in the Fire Nation. He was the Supreme Commander of the Fire Nation Armed Forces.

General Sozin.

Sozin was a charismatic leader, with a gift for manipulating the minds of people into seeing his point of view. Using these gifts, he rallied together all the soldiers under his command who shared his ideals and staged a coup. Norikurma was overthrown and killed. Sozin assumed the throne and crowned himself Fire Lord.

Sozin's actions did not go unopposed however. For Norikurma's closest friend was also the most powerful man in the world. Avatar Roku. The battle was said to rage for days. By all rights Roku, wielding the might of all the elements, should have won the battle. But Sozin was never known to fight fair. Not even Roku could defeat an entire army, though he made the forces sent against him pay dearly. In the end, however, the Avatar fell.

But Sozin knew his victory was not yet total. For the Avatar would be born anew into the next nation in the cycle. But before Sozin could seek him out, he would need to replace the soldiers lost in the battle with Roku. For the next twelve years Sozin and his generals set about training the next generation of Fire Nation troops, preparing them for the coming conquest. But even after more than a decade, their numbers had not swelled enough.

But then something unheard of occurred. A massive comet with strange properties passed within a few hundred miles of the planet. For reasons unknown still to this day, the comet drastically increased the power of all firebenders. Suddenly, numbers meant nothing. With their amazing new powers, the armies of the Fire Nation surged forward. Their first targets were the Air Nomads, for it was amongst them that the new Avatar was to be found. All four temples were invaded. The airbenders fought valiantly, but the firebenders power could not be overcome. They were killed to the last man, woman, and child.

But the Avatar was not among them. It was as if he had simply vanished. Believing that a 12-year-old wouldn't pose any kind of threat anyway, Fire Lord Sozin ordered his troops to begin moving against the other nations. The firebenders cut deeply into Earth Kingdom territory, and it seemed as if victory would be swift.

But then Sozin's Comet, as it had come to be called, left the planet's orbit. The firebenders lost their increased powers. The Earth Kingdom could now fight back using the advantage of their greater numbers, and the invasion stalled. However, the Fire Nation still had their superior technology, and as the war dragged on, they began to make small advances.

But Sozin would not live to see his dream of a world united under Fire Nation rule. His legacy of iron-fisted dictatorship would be passed down to his son, Azulon, and then to his sons. The Fire Nation would continue its slow, steady advance into the Earth Kingdom, though it would take a brief detour to devastate the Southern Water Tribe.

This state of affairs would continue for years, seemingly with no end in sight.

Until the fateful day when two children of the Water Tribe found a boy encased in an iceberg.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Now begins the story proper. Hope you all enjoy. Don't forget to review!

News spread quickly. Despite the fact that the Earth Kingdom was spread across the largest amount of land in the world, it was not long before word had reached nearly every corner. Against every expectation, the Fire Nation had somehow penetrated the fortress city of Ba Sing Se. There were even rumors that the Princess of the Fire Nation herself had been involved. Whatever the case, there was one thing everyone agreed on. The Earth Kingdom's last great city had fallen. The war seemed all but over.

And the question on everyone's mind was; where was the Avatar?

_An unnamed forest. Two days after the fall of Ba Sing Se_

There were times when Sokka hated being the funny man. It made him feel as if it were always his responsibility to provide some kind of levity to even the most dire of situations. But who could joke at a time like this? Poking dejectedly at the logs that fed the campfire, Sokka looked glumly around the campsite. Toph sat quietly in one corner of the clearing, idly bending the dirt in various patterns, seemingly for no other reason than to have something to do.

Over near the tents was a far sadder scene. Aang lay on a pile of blankets in a fitful sleep. A thin sheen of sweat covered his skin. The young monk had woken a few times over the past two days, mostly to swallow down some water or a small bit of food, but he always returned to sleep before long. His dreams appeared to be plagued by some kind of nightmares, about what Sokka couldn't even guess.

Hovering over Aang, as always, was Katara. Around her hand was a glove made of the enchanted water of the Northern Water Tribe's spirit oasis. The water had undoubtedly saved Aang's life, now Katara hoped it would restore his health. But Aang's injury was severe. Azula's lightning had cut deep. But perhaps more troubling was that Aang seemed to be hurt more than just physically. It was as if the Princess' attack had wounded his spirit as well. And an injury such as that was beyond Katara's knowledge.

Katara herself looked almost as bad as Aang. Two straight days of caring for the Avatar with barely any sleep had begun to take its toll on her. Her clothes were streaked with dirt, dark bags had formed under her eyes. She hadn't even taken the time to put her hair up into its normal style, and it was beginning to become scraggly and matted from lack of washing. Sokka began to fear that Katara would make herself sick trying to care for Aang.

Sokka suddenly became aware of a presence sitting down next to him. Turning his head, he saw the Earth King gathering his robes beneath him as he sat. Two days spent in the wilderness had taken away some of the King's noble bearing. Sokka wondered if being ousted from his throne hadn't contributed some to that either.

"Has there been any change?" The Earth King asked in a low voice, as if he were afraid of distracting Katara from her work.

"No." Sokka answered back just as softly. "It doesn't look like he's getting any better."

The Earth King nodded and looked into the fire. A few moments passed before he spoke again. "There's something else that's bothering you."

Sokka sighed and hung his head. There was indeed something else that had been eating away at him since escaping Ba Sing Se. "You remember those three girls? The ones who impersonated Kyoshi warriors to get into the city?"

The Earth King frowned and nodded. He remembered them very well.

"They only could have gotten those uniforms _from _the Kyoshi warriors. Which means there must have been a fight. And there's someone who…well, I'm worried about someone." Sokka closed his eyes tightly, forcing himself to expel the despair that was creeping up on him. He had to believe that Suki was all right. He had to believe that there was at least one part of his life that hadn't been turned upside down.

"Have you given any thought on what we're going to do next?" Toph asked as she came over to join them. It was a good question. They had spent the last two days more worried about Aang's condition than finding a place to lay low, but they couldn't keep that up forever. The Fire Nation would be looking for them. They would soon be in desperate need of a place to hide.

Sokka shook his head. "Where could we possibly go? Most of the Earth Kingdom's villages are under Fire Nation control, and the poles are sure to be the first place they go looking for us."

"We have to think of something!" Toph said, her voice rising slightly. "Aang needs a place where he can rest properly. Constantly moving around like this isn't helping his condition."

"I'm open to suggestions."

"We could…go to my parents." The tone of Toph's voice suggested she couldn't believe she had brought that possibly up.

"And be turned over to the Fire Nation on kidnapping charges? No thanks."

"So we're right back where we started then." The Earth King said, his gaze traveling back to where Katara continued her endless vigil over Aang.

Sokka turned his eyes there as well. "We're running out of time."

_The Royal Palace at Ba Sing Se_

Zuko threw open the doors to the throne room as he stormed in, puffs of steam rising from his nostrils each time he breathed. He had not been in the greatest of moods recently, and so far the events of this day were doing nothing to improve his temperament.

"I am not someone who can be summoned according to your will!" He shouted at the figure seated on what had once been the Earth King's throne.

The object of his anger smiled down at him in a placating manner, as one might smile at a petulant child. "I'm terribly sorry Zuzu. I had thought my messenger might word my request a little better. It was not my intention to insult you."

"Stop _calling _me that Azula!" If it wasn't his sister's intention to insult him, then why did she continue to use that hated nickname? He was sorely tempted to attack her right there, but managed to reign in the impulse. After everything he had done, he couldn't simply turn on her now.

Azula merely ignored his anger. "Getting back to the matter at hand, has there been any news on where the Avatar has fled?"

"Nothing." Zuko answered. "Assuming of course he survived your attack, he hasn't surfaced anywhere near the territory we control."

"Oh, I'm certain he's alive. He's remarkably resilient. And he can't hide forever. The world is only so big." Azula's lips acquired a small, knowing smile as she phrased her next question. "How is Uncle doing?"

Zuko's eyes became downcast, his voice lowering to almost a whisper. "Uncle's not speaking to me."

Azula's smile only got bigger. "I'm terribly sorry Zuko. I'm sure he'll come around sooner or later. Well, I've taken enough of your time. You may go."

Zuko knew perfectly well he was being dismissed, but he didn't care to argue the point anymore today. Turning slowly, he left the throne room, wondering not for the first time if he hadn't made a terrible mistake.

_An undisclosed location in Earth Kingdom territory_

It's official name was The Citadel. Some called it the Best Kept Secret in the Earth Kingdom. What everyone could agree on, though, was that it was the last hope for freedom from the dominion of the Fire Lord.

The building itself was an impressive edifice. Built out of the strongest stone, and large enough to house six full divisions of the Earth Kingdom's army. But it was The Citadel's location that was it's true strength. It was situated on top of a massive plateau, surrounded by miles of empty canyon in the far eastern corner of the Earth Kingdom. The area had been one long, endless plain once. But at the beginning of the Hundred-Year War, a team of earthbenders spent a decade and a half digging nearly two miles into the ground, and hundreds of miles in all directions to build the plateau The Citadel now rested upon. No bridges connected the spire to the mainland. Only an earthbender could gain access. On top of that, only the soldiers stationed at The Citadel, as well as the highest ranking military officers knew of its location. It was these factors that made The Citadel the Earth Kingdom's last hope, now that Ba Sing Se was in the hands of the enemy.

In his room in the officer's quarters, Captain Lu Wen, Commanding Officer of the 401st Infantry Division, sat in silent meditation. Young for his rank, Lu Wen was an earthbender from the small, seaside village of Shimota, located along the east coast of the Earth Kingdom. He had joined the army as soon as he was young enough to enlist, and quickly captured the attention of his superiors for his uncanny strategic abilities. He was granted a commission before he was fifteen, and now at seventeen, was in charge of his own division. His skill as an earthbender was greater than some twice his age, and many people thought he was a prodigy. That wasn't true, however. He had never displayed any extraordinary powers or abilities. Earthbending didn't come easily or naturally to him. He was simply a hard worker. He dedicated himself to a rigorous daily training regiment that had honed his skills over the years. He had just completed a round of that very training, and was now meditating so as to help him unwind, when a knock at his door brought him back to earth.

"Come in." He said, opening a pair of blue eyes, an uncommon color for someone from the Earth Kingdom, and standing up. The earthen door slid aside, revealing the face of 1st Lieutenant Sho Shen, Lu Wen's second-in-command.

"I hope I'm not interrupting, sir." Sho Shen said as he entered the room a few paces.

"Of course not, Sho. What do you need?" Lu Wen brushed some dirt from the seat of his pants.

"Colonel Jing has asked to speak with you, sir."

Lu Wen nodded and moved to the corner of his room. Picking up his upper body armor, he slipped it over his head and fastened the clasps at his ribs. He then grabbed his dark green officer's cape and fastened it to the jutting shoulder pads. "Let's go see what he wants."

Lu and Sho strolled at a swift place through the corridors of The Citadel, returning the salutes of the enlisted men they passed, or offering a nod to fellow officers. They spoke only sparingly. Lu Wen wasn't a talkative man by nature, unless giving orders on the battlefield, and Sho was well used to his commander's mannerisms by now. When they reached the doors to the office of Lieutenant Colonel Wong Jing, The Citadel's Commanding Officer, Lu Wen took a moment to flatten down his brown hair, still slightly mussed from training, and knocked three times.

When Jing's voice bade them enter, Lu and Sho walked ten paces into the room, stopped at attention before Jing's desk, and saluted. "Captain Lu Wen, reporting as ordered sir."

"At ease Captain, Lieutenant." Jing returned the salute, then sat back in his chair. "Thank you for coming Captain, I hope I didn't interrupt your training."

"No sir, I had just finished."

"Excellent. To business then. After a great deal of effort, our scouts have finally managed to get a fix on the Avatar's location. We know he and his companions have been on the run since escaping Ba Sing Se, and are likely in great need of a place to recuperate." Jing pushed a piece of parchment across his desk. Lu Wen picked it up. It was a message from the advance scout, giving the last known location of the Avatar and his group.

"No doubt they have since moved on, but it gives us a good place to start." Jing went on. "I want you to take the 401st, find them, and escort them here. It is absolutely imperative you find them before the Fire Nation does."

Lu Wen bit the inside of his lip. What Jing was asking him to do was no mean feat, and put a great deal of responsibility in his hands. But he would not shrink away from it. "Understood, Colonel."

"Very well. Dismissed."

Lu Wen and Sho Shen saluted, turned on their heels , and left. When they were a few feet down the hall, Sho Shen spoke first. "Orders, Captain?"

"Inform the men. We leave tomorrow, as the sun ruses."

Sho nodded and peeled off down another hallway. Lu Wen returned to his quarters, his mind already wrapping itself around his new assignment. He could only hope it wasn't already too late to act. The fate of the world now rested in his ability to find the Avatar before his enemies did.

Lu Wen did not sleep well that night.


End file.
